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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217846">Old and New</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/navalier/pseuds/navalier'>navalier</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Declarations Of Love, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, POV Catra (She-Ra), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5 Spoilers, catra does not know what to do with bright moon, glimmer and catra friendship, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:08:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,690</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/navalier/pseuds/navalier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything is different now, but it's not all bad.</p><p>((literally just me basking in catradora endgame))</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>591</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Old and New</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Catra.”</p><p> </p><p>She turned to face Adora, still surprised to hear her name said like… that. Catra was pretty used to angry and disappointed tones when people said her name – Hordak, Shadow Weaver, the princesses, even Adora had spat the word like they couldn’t get it out of their mouths fast enough. But everything was different now. Now, Adora said Catra’s name like she was savoring every syllable. Like she wanted to use it to pull Catra closer. Like they used to be.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, are you with me?” Adora’s face swam suddenly in front of Catra’s vision. Startled, Catra leapt backwards with an undignified yelp. Adora laughed. “Sorry, scaredy-cat.”</p><p> </p><p>Catra grunted. “I’m not a scaredy-cat, you’re just weirdly quiet when you… sneak up on people.” She turned away to look at the valley instead, stifling her embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>But Adora wouldn’t let her get off that easy. Of course she wouldn’t. She placed an arm around Catra’s neck and pulled her in for an enthusiastic hug. “I literally called your name, goober! What kind of sneaking skills are they teaching in the Horde these days? I hear the place really went to crap after I left.”</p><p> </p><p>Laughing, Catra nuzzled against Adora’s neck, elated at the fact that she could simply do that again. “They stopped serving the gray stuff and honestly it all fell apart from there.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what they tell me.” Adora kissed Catra gently on the cheek and Catra felt blood rush to her face in a stupid blush that was happening way too often lately. Was that normal? What if she never got used to Adora kissing her and she just ended up a sappy, blush-y mess for the rest of her life?</p><p> </p><p>“We should get back to the others.” Catra said, clearing her throat. She pulled herself out of Adora’s embrace (slowly, reluctantly) but kept a hand on Adora’s wrist. Adora locked their hands together, her confidence bolstering Catra on a wave of silent joy.</p><p> </p><p>“So responsible now!” Adora exclaimed in mock surprise, following Catra down the hillside.</p><p> </p><p>“Defeating a tyrannical space army will do that to you, I hear.”</p><p> </p><p>Adora, somewhat predictably, was physically incapable of walking calmly down the slope holding hands. With a fleeting grin and a taunting glint in her eye, Adora released Catra’s hand and sprinted forward, yelling, “Last one to the bottom is a broken bot!”</p><p> </p><p>Chuckling to herself, Catra took a split second to appreciate how much her life had changed in just a few short weeks. She wasn’t alone anymore, in any sense of the word. And that was the best feeling in the universe.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait up! Cheater!”</p><p> </p><p>*             *             *</p><p> </p><p>As it turned out, there <em>were</em> a few things about being with the princesses that were super annoying. Infuriating, really. Like their obsession with something called “parties.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mermista! We need more water for these ice sculptures!”</p><p> </p><p>“Does King Micah know how to make a cake? Like with magic or whatever?”</p><p> </p><p>“MORE FLOWERS!”</p><p> </p><p>“Ugghh Seahawk can you please practice your stupid shanty in a place where all of Etheria can’t hear you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Scorpia! Stop trying to feed Emily those streamers! They’re <em>decorations,</em> not robot food!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry!”</p><p> </p><p>“Entrapta needs to get over here and handle her friend – Hordak does not know what he’s doing with that tablecloth.”</p><p> </p><p>“WE. NEED. MORE. FLOWERS.”</p><p> </p><p>“How do you people LIVE like this?!” Catra cried, clutching her hands to her ears. It was overwhelming, this much chaos. It wasn’t like Catra loved everything being the same all the time, but at least in the Horde they had a sense of <em>order</em>. Not this… messy confusion.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, it’s okay,” Catra was relieved to find that Adora wasn’t laughing at her. Instead, Adora was pulling her aside by the hand, into a blissfully quiet corner. “I know it’s a bit overwhelming, they’re just excited.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can they be excited quietly?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nope.” Adora smiled, wrapping her arms around Catra’s neck and pulling her in for a soft hug. And there it was again, that infernal blush. She would have to learn to control herself better.</p><p> </p><p>“I feel like they would try if you asked. You’re <em>She-Ra</em> after all.”</p><p> </p><p>“What did I tell you about only using She-Ra’s power for good?”</p><p> </p><p>“Keeping these idiots quiet is absolutely a good cause.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t be such a party pooper!”</p><p> </p><p>“What does… pooping have to do with whatever is happening here?!”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my god. I love you.”</p><p> </p><p><em>Well</em>, Catra thought happily to herself, a warm glow spreading through her belly. <em>that wouldn’t get old any time soon.</em></p><p> </p><p>“Catra,” Adora said softly, a tiny smile dancing around her lips. “you’re purring.”</p><p> </p><p>A week ago, Catra would have pulled away and lashed out at Adora for embarrassing her. A week ago, she would have told Adora to shut up, would have denied the rumbling in her throat and the terrifying rush of joy in her gut. Today, Catra stepped closer, the purr still dancing through her body. She pulled Adora forward by the waist and pressed their torsos together, kissing her enthusiastically with tongue and teeth and breathless giggles.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you.” Adora said again, an excited whisper this time.</p><p> </p><p>“Never gets old.” Catra pulled Adora forward for another thunderous kiss.</p><p> </p><p>*             *             *</p><p>Besides the parties, and the weird food, and the singing, and the constant feeling of mushy wholesomeness that was practically gushing out of every surface of Bright Moon, the next worst thing about living with princesses was the <em>beds</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Adora hadn’t warned her about that one. Catra tossed and turned savagely among the disgusting array of pillows on her first night in the castle, still taken aback that she had been given her own room (“<em>This</em> is where you’ve been staying this whole time, Adora? I should’ve joined your rebellion forever ago – this room has a <em>fountain </em>and it’s not even for bathing! It’s just to look at!”).</p><p> </p><p> An hour later, when everything was quiet and she was left alone with her thoughts again, Catra found the novelty had worn off. Worse, she couldn’t get comfortable on the giant mass of down the princesses called a “bed.” Finally she relented and curled up on the floor, but even that was somehow wrong. Sleeping alone was awful. Not just because she was so used to the dorms at the Horde – she was just sick of being lonely.</p><p> </p><p>Grumbling to herself, Catra stalked out of her room and emerged into a gigantic glittery hallway. Even when it was dark and empty, every part of this castle somehow shimmered. It was unnerving. Hurrying down the passageway, Catra struggled to remember where Adora had said she’d be sleeping. Catra was so focused on figuring out where to go that she didn’t notice when she walked directly into someone who was also stalking the hallways.</p><p> </p><p>“Ouch!”</p><p> </p><p>Catra hissed as she leapt away from the offending person, landing in a crouch ten feet away. She felt her jaw drop as she recognized who she’d accidentally bumped into. Glimmer.</p><p> </p><p>“Catra?” Glimmer gasped, her voice sleepy beneath the obvious surprise. “What are you doing?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nothing,” Catra said quickly, used to immediately denying any wrongdoing. Not that she was doing anything wrong. But it did feel weird to be slinking through the former enemy’s castle alone in the middle of the night.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you need something?”</p><p> </p><p>Catra pointedly stepped away from Glimmer. “Stop being so nice to me, Sparkles. Just because I’m… because Adora and I are… whatever is happening there, doesn’t mean that you and I are suddenly best friends too.”</p><p> </p><p>Glimmer’s face crumpled. It was noticeable even in the half-darkness. “I know. I just thought – you seemed lost.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not lost.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Glimmer said neutrally, stifling a yawn. “I was just going to the kitchen for a snack. Would you like to come?”</p><p> </p><p>Catra glanced down the dark hallway. Why was this place so beautiful and also so creepy? If she was honest with herself, wandering around these halls until morning by herself didn’t seem like much fun. “Fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Great!” Glimmer seemed entirely too enthusiastic about their midnight stroll. “It’s this way.”</p><p> </p><p>As Catra followed the Queen of Bright Moon down the corridor, she wondered how to casually bring up where to find Adora’s room. Conversation starters, half-baked interests, architecture plans, and false problems only Adora could solve ricocheted wildly through Catra’s mind. She had just decided that Glimmer would take her to Adora if she made up some excuse about leaving a trinket in Adora’s room when—</p><p> </p><p>“What are you thinking about?” asked Glimmer casually, leading them down a moonlit stairwell.</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“You just seem like you’re deep in thought, I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help.”</p><p> </p><p>Catra narrowed her eyes. Was this a trick? “Of course not. I’m allowed to think, aren’t I?”</p><p> </p><p>Glimmer simply shrugged and ignored the comment. “We’re almost there. What do you like to eat?”</p><p> </p><p>That one genuinely stumped Catra. As someone who had literally just discovered what a salad was this morning, she had no idea what she liked to eat. “I’m— I don’t know. Anything.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hmm.” Glimmer opened a set of intricate double doors and they found themselves in what was presumably the kitchen. Catra’s nose was immediately assaulted by so many different smells it was hard to breathe – sweet like a bee’s nest, spicy like Adora’s hair sometimes, sharp like cold mornings, and a mix of so many other things she couldn’t recognize. Catra was entranced.</p><p> </p><p>“What— is <em>that</em>?” Catra gasped.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Glimmer was already rummaging around a cupboard, clearly looking for something specific.</p><p> </p><p>“That.” Pointing at the thing on the nearest table, Catra felt her mouth water. It was huge. And colorful. And it smelled incredibly sweet.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh!” Glimmer chuckled, Catra felt her hackles rise at the insult. “Of course you’re interested in that. It’s a cake, silly!”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not silly!”</p><p> </p><p>“Right, sorry,” Glimmer walked over to stand beside Catra, who was still gaping at the stupid cake. “Don’t you remember? You brought me a piece of cake when we were on Horde Prime’s ship. It was so nice of you.”</p><p> </p><p>“That cake didn’t look anything like… this.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want a piece? I’m sure no one will mind.” Glimmer was already pulling plates and silverware out of drawers.</p><p> </p><p>Despite how much Catra wanted to say “no” to something so ridiculous, she found herself murmuring, “Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>Minutes later, the two of them were seated at a table, each eating a slice of cake in merciful silence. To her own surprise, Catra was the one who spoke first. “I have a question.”</p><p> </p><p>Glimmer swiped a glob of frosting off her plate and sucked it off her finger happily. “Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did Adora— um, when she first— was Adora ever… not sure about this place?”</p><p> </p><p>To Catra’s surprise and mortification, Glimmer laughed. “Of course she was! When we first met she was nervous about Bow putting a <em>flower </em>in her hair, it was adorable.”</p><p> </p><p>Catra felt a small smile creep across her lips. “Yeah. I bet.”</p><p> </p><p>“And when we invited her to stay with us at the castle? She exploded her bed on the first day! My mother – Queen Angella – had no idea what to do with that. Bow and I ended up sleeping on the floor with her in her room, just so she wouldn’t be lonely.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?!”</p><p> </p><p>“Hard to picture Adora being nervous about anything, right?” Glimmer was beaming to herself, clearly lost in her own memory. “But yes, of course she was scared of this place at first. We were her enemies! And I’m sure all that Horde training didn’t make the transition easy. Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“No reason.” Catra grunted, shoving another slice of cake in her mouth. This stuff really was awesome – Glimmer was probably onto something when she said it was her favorite food. Catra didn’t bother swallowing before continuing, “Jus’ wondering.”</p><p> </p><p>Glimmer stared at her across the table, a weird look on her face. “You know… it’s okay if you don’t love it here. Not everyone does. And it’s also okay if you need some time to get used to things being different. We can’t expect ourselves to adjust to so many changes too quickly.”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean,” Glimmer reached across the table and laid a gentle hand on Catra’s fingers. Catra fought the strong urge to pull away, sensing that Glimmer was just trying to be nice. “you are enough. Even if you hate Bright Moon, or can’t deal with everyone right now, or are just trying to find a way to fit into this new crazy world. You are enough.”</p><p> </p><p>Against her will, Catra felt tears well in her eyes. Hurriedly wiping them away, she stuffed her face with more cake and said, “Everything is just so different now. And not all of it is bad. Adora and I – it’s so stupid, but I <em>love </em>her. And every time I remember that she loves me back it’s like… I don’t know. It feels good. But other times – I just want things to go back to how they were before we even knew the truth about princesses. Before She-Ra.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s perfectly normal, Catra,” Glimmer said softly, still not removing her hand from Catra’s. “I know how you feel. I wish I could go back to being a princess instead of a queen, because then I would still have my mother with me. But it’s impossible. Now I’m lucky enough to have my dad back and I’m doing the best I can with being queen. It’s different, but it isn’t all bad.”</p><p> </p><p>Catra smiled slightly. “Different but not all bad. I like that.” She looked down at her empty plate and licked the remaining crumbs from around the edges. “You were right about cake, by the way.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” said Glimmer, standing up and gathering their dishes. “So what did you really leave your room for, Catra? I know it wasn’t for a snack.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m—” Catra thought about the lie she had decided would trick Glimmer into telling her where Adora’s room was. She took a deep breath. <em>Bow and I ended up sleeping on the floor with her in her room, just so she wouldn’t be lonely</em>. “I just want to be with Adora. I don’t know where her room is.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well why didn’t you say so?” Glimmer said cheerfully, already flouncing toward the door. “C’mon, I’ll show you. Then you two can be snuggly saps together.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ugh.” Catra grunted, but followed Glimmer out of the kitchen with a smile on her face. Different but not all bad.</p><p> </p><p>*             *             *</p><p>“Catra!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you up.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay. What are you doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um… I got— I felt kinda lonely and these beds are stupid. Can I – stay here with you?”</p><p> </p><p>Adora grinned. Her hair was a nest of blonde tangles and a smudge of drool clung to the side of her mouth. But her sleepy eyes were warm. “Of course.” Catra smiled back and slinked to the bed.</p><p> </p><p>Pulling back the covers, Adora scooted over to make room for Catra to snuggle up beside her. Nuzzling her face under Adora’s chin and wrapping all her limbs securely around the entirety of Adora’s body, Catra exhaled a sigh of relief. “This is better.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’d like to think it’s just because you’re snuggling me,” Adora muttered softly, already halfway back to sleep. “but really it’s because this is a normal bed, not a giant poof of feathers and fluff.”</p><p> </p><p>“Right?!” Catra exclaimed, startling Adora. “Sorry. Just – I hate those beds.”</p><p> </p><p>Adora chuckled. “It never gets old.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“You saying sorry,” Adora muttered sleepily, shoving her face into the top of Catra’s head. “You’ve come so far, and I’m so proud of you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Shut up,” Catra grumbled, the edges of sleep creeping hazily into her consciousness. “You’re such an idiot.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mm,” replied Adora. “An idiot who loves you.”</p><p> </p><p>Catra purred and pulled Adora tighter against her body. “Love you too.” She tried to keep talking, it felt so good to be talking, but it felt even better to sink into blissful sleep with her favorite person in the world, the person who never gave up on her, not even when she was at her worst.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Adora…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so I watched all of season 5 last night and I was so hype about catradora being endgame that obviously I had to write this sappy, tropey, overdone mess because who couldn't jump on that bandwagon?</p><p>come yell with me about these idiots I love them!!!!!! twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/jilljac05">jilljac05</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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